You head to the grocery store and the first thing you see are those giant boxes of cereal, they are marked 2 for $7.00. You grab them, thinking to yourself breakfast is set for the week! All you have to do is quick open the box pour it into the bowl, boom, breakfast is done.

Ok, next thing that catches your eye is produce. You need to offset that big box of cereal you just bought the kids. Ok, so you grab some grapes, bananas, apples, oh and some oranges too.

Heading to the next aisle you see juice, yup, we need some of that. You grab two, wait, do I have some at home? Oh well, we can always use juice.

On to the meat department. Dinner what am I going to make for dinner? Your stomach growls as you remember you forgot to eat before heading out.

You grab a roast and some chicken and some ground turkey. Noticing they have a sale going on with pork you grab up the rest of those packages.

Now you’re off again, grabbing fruit snacks and little bags of individual cookies and trail mix for lunches. Do we need lunch bags you think to yourself? Assuming that you are alone while shopping and you can think at all without being interrupted by your little helper.

You remember you need to grab cheese and milk and eggs so off to the refrigerated section. Seeing shredded cheese is on sale 2 for 5.00. What a great deal you think so you grab 4. Continuing on you grab the milk, you need 3 you think, and eggs. You grab a thing of yogurt and sour cream and, the chip dip looks good, you grab that too.

Now you head down the snack aisle to grab some chips for that dip and you see your hubby’s favorite snack, you grab that for him. You have to buy something for the kids or they will eat all of the hubby’s favorite so you grab a few things for them.

Ok, you are done you peek into your cart not too full you did well.

Head to the checkout, unload your stuff and get lost in thought as you think about the million of other things that you need to do that day. Not paying attention to the cashier at all.

You are brought back to the moment by the cashier telling you your total of $300, you say what??? as you look over at the 4 bags of groceries in your cart.

What did you buy for $300? This store must have jumped up their prices since I was here last or that cashier must have rang something up wrong. You reach for your receipt as you walk out to your car, nearly being ran over as you walk, not bothering to look for cars in the parking lot. Can’t these people see the look of shock on your face?

Does this scenario sound familiar at all? It does to me! This is how I used to shop. No shopping list, no planning ahead at all. Just get to the grocery store grab what I thought I needed, just get it done.

There is more to grocery shopping than just going to the store. You need to create a plan for what you are going to buy and know why you are buying it. Knowing what you are going to use an item for helps you to stop and think about the things that you are going to be putting in the cart. It is possible to save money on groceries! It is possible to serve your family meals on a budget!

Yes, creating a shopping list can help you save money on groceries!

Tina

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Comments

Haha, i love how you play out what it’s like when you don’t have a list! So accurate… meal planning has been so good for me. And it always shows on those weeks when i don’t do it :/ thanks for sharing!

I always have a list, which I write up on my trusty steno pad. I list everything out in categories and rarely veer from it. One time an older woman noticed my list and commented that I was so organized. 🙂 I can’t imagine not having the list with me. My goal now is to set a time to write up the list a few days before going shopping. Right now it’s usually the night before or a few hours before and I feel rushed doing that.

I couldn’t agree more!! I feed 9 people 3 meals a day, several of whom are teen boys. I have a set weekly meal rotation for breakfast and lunch, and make my dinner menu monthly. Then I shop from a list. If I happen to go to the store without a list (especially if I have any of my kids with me) I am in TROUBLE! Impulse purchases add up FAST!

I could not imagine not shopping from a list with that many people. When I shopped for daycare- 15 kids and my family meals I would go every 2 weeks and that was a lot. I can not imagine going for a month.

Hi Tina, I can definitely relate. We live less than 5 minutes from the grocery store, which is convenient, but since it’s so easy to go, I go a lot. I don’t make a list and the bill isn’t usually too much, until you add it all up at the end of the week. You’ve made me realize I should be using a list!

I always have a shopping list. But I NEVER just buy what’s on the list. I start with such good intentions but then I just go crazy! My favorite splurges are those “As Seen On TV” products. Love your story!

I love those as seen on tv products too! Maybe you should shop with a set amount of cash, it may help keep you from those impulse buys 🙂 I can’t shop with cash it gives me anxiety at the register, Oh no what if I accidently went over and I have to put something back lol

I love my grocery list! I save so much money by using it. I do have to remind myself to stick to it sometimes but I am always glad when I stay with the list. We save money and I often don’t end up with things I don’t really need in the pantry!

Oh and Jess, so awesome to hear you’d just eat beans and PB! We would do that too. Budgets are awesome!

This is so me! I even do online grocery shopping, and if I’m not at home when I do it to see what I have in my cabinets, sometimes I overspend! I think, “well, we can always use more of this!” Thankfully, Kelly has put me on this budget plan so when my $$ is up for the month, it’s PB&J and beans or whatever until the end of the month until the $$ starts over again! I think I can handle it. 🙂

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